Clutch.



sl P. WHITESIDE.

CLUTCH.`

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 2|. i914.

l9 l@t v Patented Apr. 4, 916.

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Samuel f-Whifeside mom/fram f Sg P.lwHsTEsmE. CLUTCH.- APPUCATION FILED NOV. 2l, 19M.

l Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

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Patented Apr; 4, 1916.

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MURA/Enti? iiNiiE s sin@ italien.

SAMUEL P. WHITSIDE, OF CURTIS BAY, MARYLAND.

. CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Yatenlt.

Patenten apr. a, raie.

Application filed November 21, 1914. Serial No. 873,306.

To all 1V/wm t may concern.'

'Be it known that I, SAMUEL Pf lViii'rn sinn. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Curtis Bay, iii the county of Anne Arundel and State of Maryland, have invented a `new and Improved Clutch, of which the following is a full, clear, and'exact description. u

My invention relates to clutches Awhereby a driving and a driven member can be first slipabl-y'connected, to bring the two nieni bers to substantially the same speed, and

f then positively coupled.

l clutch whereby a driving and a driven inein- The object of tliejiiveiitioii is to provide a simple, ellicient. and strong transmission .ber can be' positively coupled without danger of. injury to the parts of the clutch mecha*4 ni-sm., -1

With the above and other objects in View, the nature of which will more fully appear asl the description proceeds, the invention consists .in the novel construction, vcombination and arrangement of parts as; herein fiilly described. illustrated and claimed.

i In' the accompanying drawings, forming. part of the application, similar characters. .of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the views, and, Figiire l Ais a horizontal section of an embodiment of my invention on line l-fl, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a section 'on line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa section on line n speed min'n'ot exceed the speed of the clutch iii'emi r on'L the .driving member. i

Referring to the drawings, 7 is a-driving shaft to which is keyed a. collar 8 and on which collar is mounted to slide and constrained to rotate tlierewitha positive Aclutch member 9.' A co-actin", positive clutch member l is mounted to Aturn freely lon the driving shaft7-adjacent the collar 8.4 The said clutch member l0 has formed integrally therewith gears 11 and 12spaced to accommodate therebetween the end wall of the 55 friction clutch casing 13,- so that the gear l2 is located within the casing.

. The friction clutch casing is preferably formed of two sections, one bearing on the cl'utcl'i member 10 and the other provided 60 `with ,a sleeve 14 bearing on the driving shaft 7. This sleeve constitutes the driveni member, which. may be connected to or provided with any suitable means for transmitting the movement from the driving shaft 7. 65

Positioned within the casing 1.3 is a hub 15 keyed to. the shaft 7 and on which. hub

'spaced friction disks 1G are mounted to slide and constrained to rotate with the hub. Po-

sitioned intermediate the friction disks 16 210 is a friction disk 17 supported iii and connected to the casing by diametrically opposite screws 18 mounted to bear in .thesections of the casing 13.. The threaded ypart of thescrewsxl is in engagen'ient with a 'l5 friction disk 19. `Keyed to each of the screws is `a toothed sector 20 which meshes with the gear 12. lVlienvtlie sectors are actuated thescrew's are rotated and, consequently, the friction disks within the frie- 80, tion casing are moved relatively in acoord ance with the movement of the sectors. The i sections of the friction casing can lie connected in any suitable way, but preferably bolts 21 are 'provided which have coiiiiter- 35 sunk heads in the end wall of the casing ad jacent the gear 11.

Mesliiiig with the gear 11 is a pinion 22 n keyed toa secondary shaft 23 'mounted to rotateparallelly to the main sha-ft 7. Mount 90 ed t0 slideand constrained to rotate on the secondary shaft 23 is a friction gear 2i which is in frictional contact with a trans mission or driving friction disk 25, in turn in .frictional engagement with a friction 95 wheel 26'keyed tothe driving shaft7 The driving frictiondisk is mountedvto rotate lin a bushing'27 mounted to slide in ra beari'ng 28 forming part of'a frame 29 of which the main -bearing carrying the shaft 7 is 100 av part. The movement of the bushing-27 is controlled by a cranksliaftl, one part of which bears in an elongated slot in the busliing and the otherjin the bracket 32 connect-V edto the bearing 28 by means of screws 33, 105

which screws permit an adjustment of said bracket. The end of the crank shaft 31 projecting through the bracket 32 is provided with a handle 34, whereby the pressure of the driving disk 25 on the friction gear and wheel is controlled.

fork 35. which engages the friction gear 2i, isbpivotally connected to a lever 36, one end of which lever is, in turn. connected b v :1 link 3l' to a lng forming ,an integral part of the bearing 30. the other end of the lever being provided with a suitable grip for manipulating the lever. As the lever 36 is moved to the right, in Fig. 1, the friction drivl ugr disk is forced against the friction wheel and friction gear bv means of the handle 34, and the said friction gear will l rotate in a direction opposite to the, rotation of the friction wheel 2li. revolving the gear ll in the same direction as the driving shaft T., By properly proportioning the friction driving disk 25, the friction gear 2%, friction wheel 2li and pinion 2:2, the gear 11 can be made to revolve at any speed from a stand still to that of the speed of the driving shaft T.

As the gear l2 turns with the gear 11, the sectors E20 meshing therewith will be caused to turn, consequently turning the screws 1S and clan'iping the friction disks lll and 1T to the friction disks lli. lf the friction disks ll should suddenly grip the. friction disks 1T and 1S) and` the friction casing 13 in rotation with the speed of the driving shaft T and the gear l2 did not reach the same speed, the casing will run ahead of the gear, turning the sectors back toward their original position until the friction disks slip. In this wav the speed of the friction casing 13 and members connected thereto is always governed Ab v the gear l2. the speed of which gear is under the control of level' Z'l which slides the friction gear :24.

The positive clutch member i) is engaged by a collar 38, which collar has a stud Si!) sliding in a lug 4l) provided on the bearing 30 of the frame. spring -lI is provided on the stud 3!) which normal!)r tends to bring the collar 3s toward the bearing 2N). that is. it tends to disengage the positive clutch member 9 from the positive -clutch member l0. The length of the stud il!) is such that it will he engaged bpy a lug l2 of the lever 3U when the. speed ol the gear ll has reached substantiallyr that of the driving shaft 7 through llic displacement of the friction gear :Llb v means of the lever 216. After the two positive clutch members .9 and l() have been brought. into engagement by means of the leve` 36. the handle 34 may be rotated to disengagefthe driving friction disk .25 from the friction wheel 26 and the friction gear 24. It isself-evident that if desired the collar 3h can bc moved by a separate lever in lieu of the lever 36 by which the lug L@strikes the stud 30 when thei'ull speed position of the positive clutch member 10 is attained.

From the above description it will be seein-that by means of the friction gearing formed b v the friction driving disk :25, friction gearzH, and friction wheel 2li, l control a friction clutch formed b v the friction disks lli. 1T and `1i): that bv means of the vsaid friction gearing l' bring one of the positive clutch members substantiall)y to the speed of the other connected to the driving member beforethe'v are coupled: and that the control of the frictional clutch by means of the frictional gear is so arranged that the frictional clutch cannot be suddenly-set in motion but is brought gradually to the speed of the shaft hv which it is to be driven.

In cases where the clutch is to be used with n'iachinerjY requiring frequent inter ruption of transmission b v means of the clutch, the use of the positive clutch member can be dispensed with. particularly in cases where the clutch is of small size and used in connection with high-speed drivt. and of low power.

From the foregoing description. taken in connection with the .accompanying drawings, the advantage of the construction and operation of the clutch shown will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art to which the invention .pertains and while l have described the principle of operation. together with the contrivance which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof. l desire to have it understood that the clutch shown is merely illustrativ and that such changes may be made as are within the scope of the appended claims.

llafing thus described my invention, I claim as ne and desire to secure b v Letters Patent:

1. In` a clutch. a driving member. a driven member. means for coupling said members, a variable speed mechanism controlling said means. mans for rendering said variable speed mechanism inoperative after the driven and driving members have been coupled and means for maintaining the members coupled after the variable speed mechanism has been rendered inolwrative.

In a clutch. a driving men'iber. a driven member. friction elements carried by said members. a friction wheel carried b v the driving member. a friction disk associated witlrsaid friction wheel, a friction roller asso'ciatcd with the friction disk. motion-transmission means from the rollertolthe friction elements on the driven member for bringing said elements into engagement with the friction elements of the driving member` means for moving the friction roller relative to the. friction disk whereby the motion-transmission means are actuated. a clutch member associatedlwith the motiolrtransn'iission means,

Y rimase c ment after th'espeed of the driven member is brought substantially' to that ofthe driving member through the medium of the friction elements, andmeans for breaking` the engagement between thefriction disk with'` couplingmembers have been engaged.`

3. In a clutch, a driving-member, a driven member, frictibn elements carried by said ing member having a gear meshing ,with the members a friction' wheel on the` driving member,l a `friction disk associated Vwith said wheel and mounted to slide relative itc said Wheel, meanslforvmoving said disk to and from said wheel, ya friction roller associated with said disk and'mounted to move later` ally thereof, motion transmitting meanspconnecting said roller to the coupling ymeans of the drivenmember, means for coupling the motiontransmissi`on means kto the driving member, and means forfmcving said frietional roller adapted to operate the said coupling/meansii 4. In a clutch, a driving member, ya driven member, 4frictional disks carried by each of 'said members, a` positive clutch member mounted to slide and constrained Vto rotate with the driving member, a second coperatingrclutch member on the driving member free to turn thereon, means connecting it to thek `disks `of the driven ymember whereby they are operated, a variablei-speed mechanism actuated bythe d'rivingmember and y controlling the speed of said second clutch f member, and-means controlling the variable speed mechanism and the sliding movement of the first clutch member. n 5. In a clutch, a driving member, a driven me'mber, friction disks carriedy by each of said members, a positive clutch member mounted to slide on' and constrained to rotate with the driving member, a-gsecond posi tive clutch member on the driving member free to turn thereon and adapted to co-act with the vfirst clutch member, avari-ablespeed mechanism;actuated by the driving memberconti'oilingthe speedof said second clutch member, means for actuating the disks of the driven' member vassociated with the secondrlutch member whereby the engagee ment 'of the disksof they driven `and driving member are controlled, and means controle' ling the variable speed mechanisnn including means for controlling the engagement of 'tween said driving and driven members is controlled through the medium of the clutch `of said ypositive clutch member can be variedltrol associated with the ciutch member of toothed sectors, said `positive clutch member having a second gear, a variabie'speed meciianism engagingsaid gear whereby the speed n 76 and whereby said disk of the drivenmei'nber can be brought in contact with theidisk of the driving 1`nember,a positive clutch mein ber on the driving member mounted to slide thereon biit constrained `to rotate therewith, and means for bringing said last mentioned'` clntchmember into engagement 'with theL first mentioned clutch member.

In a cliitch,a driving membenadrven member, friction elements associated` with the driving and the driven members,clntcb members associated with the driving and the driven members, a variable speed, 'conthe driven lmember ywhereby thespeed of the same is controlled, means intermediate theclntchinember of tliedriven member and the friction 'element of the saine membern-'hereby the frictional. engagement. be-4 member on saiddriven member, and means for bringing the ,clutch memhersinto en` gagement. y S. In a'ciutch, a driving member, a driven member, friction elements carried by said driving and drinen members, arfr'irction wheel on said -driving member, a' lfriction disk associated with `said friction Wheel, a frictionroller associated with said friction ,100 disk, friction elements operatingy `means from said friction roller to saidfriction element carried by said driven member, means -foi'- moving said friction rollerfrehitivey to the friction..y disk whereby disengagement- A' of said frictionelements is contiolled,*and

the iist clutch member with the second clutch member. y I l 6. In a clutch, a driving member, a driven member, a friction diskcarried by each of said members, screws engaging `the disk carried by the driven member, a toothed sector associatedl with each of the screws, a posi-v tive clutch memberl free tc -rotate'on the drivmeans .for connecting the friction elements 'operating means directly withl the driving member` said connecting means being 'coin troiledby tion roller.

9. In a clutch, a driving member, av driven member, friction elements carried. by'sai-d driving' and driven inenibers,`a frictiony wheel on said driving member, a.friotionlplr 'disk associated with said friction wheel, a

friction roller associated,Y with said friction disk, friction elements operatingmeansbe tweensaid roller and the friction elements yon the driven member, vmeans formoving 120` I said friction roller relative to the friction diskv whereby theengagement of said friction elements is controlled. and means 'for connecting the friction elements operating, means directly with the driif'ing member op- 125 erable. by said means for inoviiig'saiid friction rollerr after aupredetermined displace` ment of said roller from itsV inoperative `poi sition.

x10. In a clutch, ay driving member, a driven 130 the inea-ns for moving said fric# i member, means for coupling said members frictionally, a friction wheel carried by the driving,r member, a friction disk associated with the vt'rietion wheel, a friction roller co acting,r with the friction disk and associated with the means for couplingr the members, and means for disenecaging;f said disk from said wheel and roller.

1.1. In a clutch, friclional members, means controlling,r said members. a i-'zniable-speed.

mechanism for operating said means, and means associated with said controllingl means for maintaining said trirtional inembers in engagement after said frietional members have been engaged by means of said variable speed mechanism.

152. In a clutch. frictional members,t`ric' tional members operating means, a variablespeed frictional gearing controlling said means, means for maintaining the engagement between the frietional members after the same has been established, means controllingthe frictional gearing and said se@ ond mentioned means, and means for rendering' said frictional `fearing inoperative.

13. In a clutch, a` driving.,r member, a driven member, means for coupling said members.` a variable speed mechanism controlling said means, means for maintaining said members in coupled position. and means tor renderingl said variable speed mechanism inoperative after the driven and driving,Y members have been coupled.

Ll. In aclutclnadriving member, a driven member, friction elements carried by said driving and driven members. friction elements operating means associated with the 'friction elements of the driven member, a positive coupling member carried by said drivingr member, a eolierating positive couplinf r member associated with the friet-ion elements operating means. a variable speed mechanism actuated from the driving menr ber engaging the coupling,r elements operating means, whereby the slipable connection between the driving and driven members is controlled, and means controlling.: the variable speed mechanism and associated with said positive coupling member carried by said driving member, whereby said positive coupling members" are engaged after the slipable engagement has been established.

l5. ln a clutch, a driving member, a driven member, frictional elements for coupling' said members together. frictional elements operating means. a variable speed mechanism associated with the 4frictional elements operatingr means whereby the frictional elements are controlled, means interposed between the driving member and the frictional elements opeating means for maintaining the frietional elements in contact "independently ofthe variable speed mechanistmmeans controlling the variable speed mechanism and the means interposed between the driving member and the frictional elements operatingmeans, said means interposed between' the driving member and the Jrittional elements operatingmeans becoming operative after the variable speed mechanism has brought the frictional elements into engage ment, and means for rendering said speed mechanism inoperative after said means interposed between the. driving member and the frictional elements operating means has been rendered operative.

16. In a clutch, a driving member, a driven member, means for coupling said members friction-ally, a variable-speed mechanism controlling the coupling means and whereby said driving and driven member may be coupled or uncoupled, means for rendering the l arable-speed mechanism inolna'ative, and means whereby the members can be maintained coupled when the speed mechanism has been rendered inoperative.

ln'testimony whereof I have sig-ned in v name to this siiecifieation in the Vpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL P. WHITESIDE.

Witnesses l).\NL F. Rmsnxweeen. Louis O, I'liLnnnnANn. 

